Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Name: Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 - 6 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb. ground chicken; 1/2 c. panko; 1/4 c. finely diced celery; 1/4 c. minced fresh chives; 1 large egg; 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1/2 tsp. black pepper, plus more to taste; 2 tbsp. ranch dressing; 4 tbsp. salted butter; 3/4 c. buffalo sauce; 3/4 c. mayonnaise; 1/2 c. sour cream; 2 tbsp. fresh dill, minced; 1 tbsp. minced fresh chives; 1 tbsp. distilled white vinegar; 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce; 1/4 tsp. kosher salt; 1/4 tsp. black pepper; 1 clove garlic, finely grated; 2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced; 1/2 c. yellow celery leaves; 1/4 c. ranch dressing; Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

A ranch cucumber side salad balances out the heat.

By Ree DrummondPublished: Oct 3, 2023

1 Rating

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the pioneer woman's buffalo chicken meatballs recipe

David Malosh

Yields:

4 - 6 serving(s)

Prep Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

50 mins

Let me begin by saying how much I love buffalo chicken. I've been making buffalo chicken salad for more than a decade. As for the buffalo chicken dip... well, what's not to love? These meatballs are a little something different to try if you love those sorts of dishes. You can make them for an easy family dinner on weeknights. Make the salad and homemade ranch dressing, too, and call it a meal. You can also make just the meatballs for game day food at home and grab some of that delicious dressing in the green and white bottle to make your life easier. You know the one. Serve 'em to your kids. Serve 'em to your friends. Serve 'em to yourself. Because you deserve 'em.

Why are my buffalo chicken meatballs hard?

You may have over mixed when you were stirring everything together. You should handle ground chicken as gently as possible. Overwork it and it becomes firm and compact. For these meatballs, mix the ingredients together just until they're barely combined and then gently form it into balls. I like to use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to make it even easier.

Are buffalo chicken meatballs spicy?

Not overwhelmingly so. Buffalo anything will have some spice and you'll definitely find that here. But the cucumber salad and ranch dressing help tame the heat.

What do celery leaves taste like?

Yellow and very light green celery leaves found on the inner stalks have a fresh celery flavor that's great with the spice of the meatballs. But make sure you're only using the yellow or very light green leaves! The green or dark green leaves from the outer stalks taste much more bitter and might overwhelm the whole dish. If you don't have celery leaves, or forgot to save them, use 1/2 cup of flat leaf parsley leaves.

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Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

1 1/2 lb.
ground chicken
1/2 cup
panko
1/4 cup
finely diced celery
1/4 cup
minced fresh chives
1
large egg
1 tsp.
kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp.
black pepper, plus more to taste
2 Tbsp.
ranch dressing
4 Tbsp.
salted butter
3/4 cup
buffalo sauce

For the Homemade Ranch Dressing (optional):

3/4 cup
mayonnaise
1/2 cup
sour cream
2 Tbsp.
fresh dill, minced
1 Tbsp.
minced fresh chives
1 Tbsp.
distilled white vinegar
1 tsp.
Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp.
kosher salt
1/4 tsp.
black pepper
1
clove garlic, finely grated

For the Salad (optional):

2
English cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/2 cup
yellow celery leaves
1/4 cup
ranch dressing
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Step 1For the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the ground chicken, panko, diced celery, chives, egg, salt, pepper, and ranch dressing in a bowl, being careful not to over-mix.
2. Step 2Form the chicken mixture into balls (about 2 tablespoons each) and place on the baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes.
3. Step 3In a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter with the buffalo sauce, stirring to combine. Add the cooked meatballs and toss to coat.
4. Step 4For the ranch dressing (optional): In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, chives, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 day.
5. Step 5For the salad (optional): In a bowl, combine the cucumber, celery leaves, and ranch dressing, and toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the meatballs with the cucumber salad and the remaining ranch dressing, if you like.